The Mockingbird Next Door

Life with Harper Lee

De: Marja Mills

Narrado por: Amy Lynn Stewart

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is one of the best loved novels of the twentieth century. But for the last fifty years, the novel’s celebrated author, Harper Lee, has said almost nothing on the record. Journalists have trekked to her hometown of Monroeville, Alabama, where Harper Lee, known to her friends as Nelle, has lived with her sister, Alice, for decades, trying and failing to get an interview with the author. But in 2001, the Lee sisters opened their door to Chicago Tribune journalist Marja Mills. It was the beginning of a long conversation—and a great friendship.

In 2004, with the Lees’ blessing, Mills moved into the house next door to the sisters. She spent the next eighteen months there, sharing coffee at McDonalds and trips to the Laundromat with Nelle, feeding the ducks and going out for catfish supper with the sisters, and exploring all over lower Alabama with the Lees’ inner circle of friends.

Nelle shared her love of history, literature, and the Southern way of life with Mills, as well as her keen sense of how journalism should be practiced. As the sisters decided to let Mills tell their story, Nelle helped make sure she was getting the story—and the South—right. Alice, the keeper of the Lee family history, shared the stories of their family.

The Mockingbird Next Door is the story of Mills’s friendship with the Lee sisters. It is a testament to the great intelligence, sharp wit, and tremendous storytelling power of these two women, especially that of Nelle.

Mills was given a rare opportunity to know Nelle Harper Lee, to be part of the Lees’ life in Alabama, and to hear them reflect on their upbringing, their corner of the Deep South, how To Kill a Mockingbird affected their lives, and why Nelle Harper Lee chose to never write another novel.


Jacket photograph: Leo Fuchs / The Leo Fuchs Archives

What a wonderful read!

Loved it! The narrator did an outstanding job. I hated for this book to end.

Brilliant Storytelling!

I simply could't put this one down! I felt like I was right along on those long rides down country roads and chats with "Nell" Harper Lee and her sister Alice. If you're s fan of "To Kill a Mockingbird," you'lol love this book too!

Alabama You Will Enjoy This

This book is really good if you live in Alabama and enjoy the feel of life in a small town in the south. I thought it was okay. It did give you a bit of knowledge of life with Harper Lee and Alice.

Superb!

The southern narration was lovely and a respectful look into some remarkable women's lives. It was an honor to learn more about the Lee family.

This Memoir Stands on its Own Merits

If you could sum up The Mockingbird Next Door in three words, what would they be?

Warm affectionate storytelling.

What other book might you compare The Mockingbird Next Door to and why?

I think this book is unique. It's in the style of "new journalism" which means it's journalistic non-fiction reporting but the journalist is also part of the story. It really works here.

What about Amy Lynn Stewart’s performance did you like?

She captures the tone of the author really well and her portrayal of Nelle Harper Lee and her sister Alice is believable.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

An elusive literary legend as next door neighbor.

Any additional comments?

The book stands on it's own merit. This is not a straight-up biography of Harper Lee. It's the author's personal memoir of the months and years she spent getting to know Nelle Harper Lee, her sister Alice, their close friends and the community of Monroeville, AL. There is important biographical information about the author of "To Kill a Mockingbird" but the book is so much more than that.